Budget Indian carriers cut international flights almost 60% April May
Indian budget airlines like Air India Express, Akasa Air, and SpiceJet have cut their international flights by almost 60% in April and so far in May 2026.
The ongoing conflict in West Asia has made flying tough, with major disruptions forcing these carriers to scale back operations sharply.
Gulf routes hit budget carriers hardest
Flights to the Gulf were hit hardest: budget carriers depend on this region, so rising fuel prices and restrictions over Iranian and Iraqi airspace, along with Pakistan's airspace closure in April 2025, added extra flight time and costs.
Meanwhile, bigger players like IndiGo and Air India saw smaller drops (around 21%), since their networks are more flexible.
Overall, international departures from India's top five airlines fell by 30%, with seat counts also down 30% to 2.6 million.
Analysts expect fewer international travelers
With ticket prices soaring and the situation in West Asia still unstable, analysts expect fewer people will be flying abroad for now—especially with smaller airlines feeling the pinch more than the big ones.